Kitarō

"Kitaro" and "Kitarou" redirect here. For the GeGeGe no Kitaro character, see Kitaro (GeGeGe no Kitaro).

Kitarō
Background information
Born	(1953-02-04) February 4, 1953
Origin	Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture, Japan
Genres	Instrumental music Electronic music New Age Folk
Occupation(s)	Composer Record producer Arranger
Instrument(s)	Vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards, synthesizer, Japanese flutes, percussion
Labels	Geffen/Warner Bros. Records (US) Geffen/MCA Records (US) Domo Records Nippon Columbia

Masanori Takahashi (高橋正則, Takahashi Masanori), better known as Kitarō (喜多郎), (4 February 1953) is an award-winning Japanese musician, composer, and multi-instrumentalist who is regarded as a pioneer of New Age music.

Biography

Early life

After graduating, Kitaro moved to Tokyo to experience and become a part of the music scene, and it was there that he discovered the synthesizer. His first synthesizer was analog, and he recalls having “just loved the analog sound that it made compared to today's digital sound”.

His parents were first opposed to the idea of their son having a musical career. Indeed, in an effort to maneuver him towards their vision, they made arrangements for him to take a job at a local company. In return, he left home without telling them. He supported himself by taking on several part time jobs such as cooking and civil service work, while composing songs at night.

In the early 1970s, he changed completely to keyboards. He joined the Japanese music group "Far East Family Band", which formed in 1965, and toured with them around the world. While in Europe, he met the German synthesizer musician and former Tangerine Dream member Klaus Schulze. Schulze produced two albums for the band and gave Kitaro some tips for the use of synthesizers. In 1976, Kitaro left "Far East Family Band" and travelled through Asia (China, Laos, Thailand, India).

Solo career

Back in Japan, Kitaro started his solo career in 1977. The first two albums Ten Kai and From the Full Moon Story became cult favorites of fans of the nascent New Age movement. He performed his first symphonic concert at the 'Small Hall' of the Kosei Nenkin Kaikan in Shinjuku, Tokyo. His soundtrack for the NHK series "Silk Road" that brought him international attention.

He struck a worldwide distribution arrangement with Geffen Records in 1986. This included a re-releasing of six prior albums -- Astral Voyage, Full Moon Story, Millennia, India, Silver Cloud and Asia, each packaged with Japanesque obi strips -- and a new album, the aptly titled, Towards the West. In 1987 he collaborated with Micky Hart (Grateful Dead) and in 1992 with Jon Anderson (Yes). In 1988 his record sales soared to 10 million worldwide. He was nominated twice for a Grammy award and his soundtrack for the movie "Heaven & Earth" won a Golden Globe Award for best original score.

When asked about his music, he said, "I never had education in music, I just learned to trust my ears and my feelings." He credits ‘powers beyond himself’ for his music, saying, "This music is not from my mind. It is from heaven, going through my body and out my fingers through composing. Sometimes I wonder. I never practice. I don't read or write music, but my fingers move. I wonder, 'Whose song is this?' I write my songs, but they are not my songs."

1995 to present

Since his 1995 début for Domo Records—the Grammy-nominated Mandala, featuring bold use of electric guitar—Kitaro has released no less than thirteen albums. Among them, the live An Enchanted Evening (1995), the deeply spiritual Gaia Onbashira (1998) and Ancient (2001), were all Grammy nominated. The 1999 Thinking of You, which allmusic.com calls a “journey to ecstasy” and “one of the most beautiful CDs of all time,”Template:Http://allmusic.com/album/thinking-of-you-r442666 won the Grammy for Best New Age Album.

Kitaro’s music has long been recognized for its messages of peace and spirituality. In the wake of 9/11, the artist began recording Sacred Journey Of Ku-kai, an intended series of peace-themed albums (Vol. 1 released in 2003; Vol. 2 in 2005, Vol. 3 in 2007, Vol. 4 in 2011), inspired by the Shikoku Pilgrimage. The events of September 11, 2001 occurred while he was en route from Japan to Los Angeles. Kitaro's jet liner was diverted to Honolulu for five days, during which time the conceptual endeavor—which he envisioned as an artistic means to help unify people globally—took shape. Every track on Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai 1 to 4 contains samples from ancient Japanese temple bells (Peace Bells) from 88 sacred temples and is intended to inspire spiritual awakening and a profound sense of peace in its listeners. This is Kitaro's life work to compose 88 songs with 88 temple bells.

In 2007, Kitaro has composed the music for West Lake Impressions, a large-scale opera, directed by renowned Chinese film director Zhang Yimou. The opera reflects the city’s history and culture through music and dance. Using modern technology, the stage is 75 centimeters below the lake’s surface during the day so as not to affect the landscape and boating activities. In the evening, the stage is some few centimeters below the lake’s surface so actors can walk and perform freely over a surprisinly water mirror that compose with the lights and colors. The one-hour event had its opening night in March 2007. In 2009, Kitaro released its original soundtrack album "Impressions Of The West Lake" which was nominated for 52nd Grammy Award.

In 2007-2009 he launched the ‘Love and Peace World Tour,’ an international tour with which Kitaro hoped to inspire his message of world peace with his music. Kitaro toured Southeast Asia in 2007, Greece in 2008 and Hong Kong, Japan, Southeast Asia in 2009. During his visit to Greece, Kitaro met Greek musician and composer Vangelis, and exchanged musical experience and creative ideas. Kitaro has also reunited with drummer Mickey Hart. In 2010, Kitaro performed in Singapore in March, in Mexico for the Zacatecas Cultural Festival in April, in Xian China for the opening event of Daming Palace National Heritage Park in September, in Aichi Japan for the Thousand Drums Event at COP10 for the Convention on Biological Diversity in October. While tour, he released the Grammy Nominated (Compilation Album),442 Original Soundtrack, 442 Kitaro's Story Scape (Soundtrack Albums), and his 53rd Grammy Nominated Album Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Volume 4.

In March - April 2011, Kitaro toured Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. He donated part of the CD sales and concert profits to Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami Relief.

Personal life

From 1983 until 1990 Kitaro was married to Yuki Taoka. Yuki is a daughter of the late Kazuo Taoka, third godfather of the Yamaguchi-gumi, the largest Yakuza syndicate. Kitaro and Yuki had a son, Ryunosuke, who lives in Japan. They reportedly separated because Kitaro worked mostly in the United States while Yuki lived and worked in Japan. In the mid-1990s, Kitaro married Keiko Matsubara, a musician who played on several of his albums. Along with Keiko's son, the couple lived in Ward, Colorado on a 180 acre (72.85 hectare) spread and composed in his 2500 square foot (230 m²) home studio "Mochi House" (it is large enough to hold a 70 piece orchestra). Kitaro and Keiko recently relocated to Sebastopol, California.

In 1989, he wrote the "Japanese" Theme for the film "Return From The River Kwai".

He has worked with guitarist Marty Friedman, formerly of Megadeth, on the "Scenes" album. He has also worked with Hong Kong Cantopop singer Anita Mui on the song "Years Flowing Like Water" "似水流年".

Discography

Studio Albums

• Asia (1975)
• Astral Voyage (1978)
• Millenia (1978)
• Full Moon Story (1979)
• Ki (1979)
• Oasis (1979)
• Silk Road, Volume 1 (1980)
• Silk Road, Volume 2 (1981)
• Silk Road Suite (1981)
• Silk Road Volume 3 (Tunhuang) (1981)
• World Of Kitaro (1982)
• Utopia (1982)
• Silk Road Volume 4 (India) (1983)
• Silver Cloud (1986)
• Toward The West (1986)
• Tenku (1986)
• The Light of the Spirit (1987)
• The Best of Ten Years (1976–1986) (1988)
• Kojiki (1990)
• Dream (with Jon Anderson) (1992)
• Mandala (1994)
• Peace On Earth (1996)
• Cirque Ingenieux (1997)
• Gaia-Onbashira (1998)
• Thinking of You (1999)
• Ancient (2001)
• An Ancient Journey (2002)
• Mizu Ni Inorite (2002)
• Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Volume 1 (2003)
• Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Volume 2 (2005)
• Spiritual Garden (2006)
• Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Volume 3 (2007)
• Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Volume 4 (2010)

Live Albums

• In Person/In Person Digital (1980)
• Live at Budokan (1982)
• Live in Asia (1984)
• Live in America (1991)
• An Enchanted Evening (1995)
• Daylight Moonlight: Live In Yakushiji (2002)

Soundtracks

• Queen Of Millenia (1982)
• Heaven and Earth (1993)
• The Soong Sisters (2000)
• Ninja Scroll (2003)
• Ryuta Yoshimura - Hayazaki no Hana (2006)
• Toyo's Camera (2008)
• Impressions of the West Lake (2009)
• 442 - Live With Honor, Die With Dignity (2010)

Videos And DVD's

• Kojiki: A Story in Concert (1987)
• The Light of the Spirit (1987)
• Live In America (1991)
• An Enchanted Evening (1995)
• Tamayura (2000)
• Thinking of You (2001)
• Peace on Earth (2001)
• The Best of Kitaro (2001)
• Daylight Moonlight: Live in Yakushiji (2005)

Compilations

• Best of Kitaro Volume 1 (1981)
• Radio House Ginga (1981)
• Utopia (1982)
• Aura No Saiten (1983)
• Four Seasons of Quality (1984)
• My Best (1986)
• Tokusen II (1994)
• Noah´s Ark (Japan Release) (1998)
• Six Musical Portraits (1998)
• Romantic Ballads (1998)
• Music For The Spirit Volume 1(1998)
• Best Of Kitaro Volume 2 (1999)
• Music For The Spirit Volume 2 (1999)
• The Essential Collection (Japan Release) (2000)
• Endless Journey (2001)
• Music For The Spirit Volume 3 (2001)
• Healing Forest (2001)
• Asian Cafe/Ashu Chakan (2002)
• Music For The Spirit Volume 4 (2002)
• Journey To The Heart I (2002)
• Journey To The Heart II (2002)
• Journey To The Heart III (2002)
• Journey To The Heart IV (2002)
• Best of Silk Road (2003)
• Shikoku 88 Places (2004)
• Sleep Volume 1
• The Essential Kitaro (2006)
• The Definitive Collection (2008)
• Sleep Volume 2 (2009)

Collaboration And Work With Other Artists

• Marty Friedman – Scenes (1992)
• Nawang Khechog - Karuna (1995)
• Kitaro World of Music (With Yu-Xiao Guang) (1996)
• Yamasaki Hako - Akane (Two songs with Kitaro)
• Motoyoshi Iwasaki - Aoi Kaze (Single with Kitaro)
• Gyuto Monks - Freedom Chants from the Roof of the World (With Philip Glass & Mickey Hart) (1988)

Far East Family Band

• Far Out (1973)
• Tenkujin (1975)
• Parallel World (1975)
• Nipponjin (1975)
• The Cave Down to the Earth (1976)

In addition the various record companies who have distributed Kitaro's music have released several compilation albums over the years. Quite a few of them are listed here -> [1] [2]

External links

• Kitaro Official site (English)
• Kitaro Official site (Japanese)